You are going to love how easy these Gluten Free Cranberry Shortbread Bars are to make! Sweet and tart at the same time, these bars are just bursting with holiday flavors!
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Cranberries are one of those fruits that symbolize the holidays! Their sweet-tart flavor works in recipes from sweet to savory! I couldn't wait to share this new recipe with you.
The thing I love most about these gluten free cranberry squares is that they FREEZE well. Yup, I am on sweets overload here and I had to freeze several to hide them from myself. I have been recipe testing, tasting, and eating a lot lately and I needed to make some of the sweets disappear.
If you love cranberries as much as I do, wait until you try these gluten free cranberry bread!! They just scream fall flavors and holiday traditions!!
These cranberry shortbread cookies would taste amazing with vanilla ice cream served on top! If you love cranberry sauce, you will also want to try my Gluten Free Cranberry Hand Pies.
Are you ready to see how easy these cranberry shortbread bars are to make?
Ingredient notes:
- Gluten free flour blend - I tested this recipe using Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour Blend and King Arthur's Measure for Measure Gluten Free Blend. That doesn't mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours and I can not guarantee the recipe will work if you use other mixes.
- Xanthan Gum - If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- Butter - For dairy-free, use vegan butter.
- Fresh cranberries - Be sure to look over the cranberries and pick out any that are mushy.
- Vanilla - Please use pure vanilla extract, imitation doesn't give the same flavor.
You can also check out my gluten free cranberry bars web story!
Recipe step by step directions:
- The first step is to make fresh cranberry sauce. Add the cranberries and other cranberry sauce ingredients to a pan and bring to a boil. You will hear some popping as the cranberries pop under the heat.
While the cranberries are cooking, let's make the gluten free shortbread crust.
2. If you like shortbread, you are going to love how easy this gluten free shortbread crust recipe is to make. First, add your dry ingredients to a bowl. Add the cold butter in chunks to the bowl.
3. Use a pastry blender to cut in the butter until your crust is crumbly. (You can also use a food processor to do this.)
4. Add ¾ of the crust dough to a greased 8x8 baking dish. (Save the other ¼ to be used in the topping.) Press the dough down into the baking dish. Bake the crust at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes.
5. Add the cranberry sauce you just made or leftover cranberry sauce to the partially baked shortbread. Spread it out to cover the shortbread crust.
6. I bake my gluten free shortbread bars at 350 degrees F. Add the sugar to the remaining shortbread crust and then drop on top of the cranberry layer.
7. Bake. Allow cooling completely before slicing.
My daughter pulled these cranberry bars out of the freezer the other day for some friends and they DEVOURED these bars in record time. She heated them up for 30 seconds in the microwave. This easy gluten free banana bread with cranberries also freezes well if you want to make two recipes :-).
Fun variations and substitutions:
Feel free to customize this recipe. Fresh cranberries are hard to find year-round so feel free to also substitute your favorite fruit like blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries!
- Try using blueberry jam (or your favorite jam) instead of cranberry sauce. You will love shortbread bars with jam!
- Add slivered almonds on top!
- Add chopped pecans to the bottom shortbread layer
- Top with fresh whipped cream
- Add white chocolate chips!
Tips and Recipe FAQ:
Yes, this recipe is a great way to use up leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving!
I usually use the fruit layer as a barometer to determine if they are done. If the fruit layer is bubbling up around the top layer, they should be done.
These cranberry bars will keep for up to 4 days in an air-tight container in the refrigerator or up to 4 months in the freezer.
More gluten free cookie bars to try:
- Gluten Free Matcha Green Tea Coconut Bars
- Gluten Free Almond Joy Cookie Bars
- Gluten Free Banana Bars
- Gluten Free Strawberry Oatmeal Bars
Recipe
Gluten Free Cranberry Shortbread Bars
Ingredients
- Crust
- 1 ¼ cups gluten free flour blend
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup cold butter
- ½ cup sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons water crust (Add one then if you need more add accordingly)
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar topping
- Berry layer
- 1 package fresh cranberries
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- Make the crust first. Add all of the dry crust ingredients to a bowl.
- Add the cold butter. Cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender.
- Add the water to make a dough. Pour ¾ of the crust into a greased 8x8 pan.
- Press the dough down into the pan so that it is flat.
- Bake only the crust for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven.
- In a small pot, add the cranberries, sugar, and vanilla.
- Cook for 15 minutes on low heat until the cranberries all pop open. You can press a spoon against the berries to pop them.
- Let the cranberry mixture cool 5 minutes.
- Pour the cranberry mixture on top of the crust.
- Take the remaining ¼ crust mixture and add the brown sugar. Toss to mix.
- Sprinkle the remaining crust mixture on top of the cranberry layer.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cranberry is bubbling.
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF, Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend, and Authentic Foods Multi Blend. That doesn't mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter.
- These bars will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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Crystal
The recipe is accurate and easy to make . The bars are delicious.
Sandi Gaertner
I am so glad you liked them!! You can also make with blueberries or strawberries 🙂
Jessica
Tried this recipe out and unfortunately the crust never fully baked 🙁 most gluten free flours don’t include the Xthanam in them and if that is what is needed for the crust to set up please note at the beginning of the recipe I was so sad I spent so much time following every step. Just a friendly suggestion.
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Jessica, I am so sorry this didn't turn out for you. There was a note about the Xanthan Gum, but I moved it to the Notes section of the recipe card so it will be more clear. I also link the two gluten free flour blends I recommended, but there are so many other brands that I have not tested. I hope you will give this recipe another try. Thank you.
Anne McBain
Hi,
The recipe calls for one package of fresh cranberries. Can you tell me how big that is or how many cups of cranberries that might be?
Thanks,
Anne
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Anne it is the larger package (usually there is one size of Ocean Spray fresh cranberries in stores.) I am at the airport flying home so I can check the exact measurement when I get in.
Penny
I buy my cranberries in bulk. How many ounces, or cups, are in your bag, please?
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Penny, the bag has just a little over 2 cups of fresh cranberries. I hope that helps :-).
Megan
If we want to substitute in a jam instead of the cranberry sauce as suggested how much jam should we use?
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Megan, I am not sure because I haven't used jam...you want to use enough to coat the bottom crust layer. Let me know how it turns out :-).
Brenda Gilkes
Would this crust recipe work for the bottom of a cheese cake?
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Brenda, it probably would but the crust isn't that sweet. If you are looking for a good cheesecake crust, I have several that may taste better if you would like.